What is the SHELF LIFE for a fresh rubber ???

Hey guys, I wanted to know how long a rubber can last while retaining it's properties (for which I basically paid for). I have a JOOLA Express One & a JOOLA Express Two all packaged lying in my cupboard. I bought them abt a month ago. So how long can I keep them that way ? As long as the plastic packaging is not ruptured I guess ?

Maybe for the old school rubbers - maybe not.

It could not possibly be 60 hours! Rubber distributers would be out of business...60 is hours only about 2 and a half days. If they shipped the rubbers the day they got them they would have 'expired' when they arrived.

I am not sure about the true shelf-life of rubbers...ask a TT superstore, they should know.

There is no expiry date on rubbers, I think as long as rubbers are kept in cool place away from direct sunlight in not so humid/dry environment and are kept unopened in their protective packaging then they can last for ages.

It's certainly not 60 hours nor 60 days.

prott.co.uk wrote: There is no expiry date on rubbers, I think as long as rubbers are kept in cool place away from direct sunlight in not so humid/dry environment and are kept unopened in their protective packaging then they can last for ages. It's certainly not 60 hours nor 60 days.

+1

actually a few years ago, i found a rubber "Juice 999 elite" lying around that I have never opened brand new in the package that I had somewhere for about 5 years.  I thought it was bad but when I opened it up and tried it, it was still brand new.  

That's true if you open a Mark V after 20 years is still exactly the same as the day it was made. I've tried this :). I've even played with one that's been used and on a blade for 30 years, just in a bat cover, no covers on the rubbers themself and it was still usable

I have a Stiga premade that is about 25 years old at the minimum and I have had it in storage and it still has tons of life in it's yasaka rubbers.

asimriz wrote: Hey guys, I wanted to know how long a rubber can last while retaining it's properties (for which I basically paid for). I have a JOOLA Express One & a JOOLA Express Two all packaged lying in my cupboard. I bought them abt a month ago. So how long can I keep them that way ? As long as the plastic packaging is not ruptured I guess ?

lol I have an unopened Express 2 that I bought last year, since December of 2009. I haven't ever gotten a chance to glue it to a blade. If I were you, I would use those rubbers (if you can) soon because tensors are notorious for their lack of durability. It seems like all of these stories of forever-lasting rubbers are the old-school, non-tensioned rubbers.

i kept a sheet of t05 for almost 5 months and it plays just safe

I bought some chinese rubbers from a local store in my country about a year ago, they were 50% off clearance (I guess they are old stock). Most of them were good as any new rubbers. But there were two that the glue between the rubber top and the sponge has dried up. One was separated completely (rubber and sponge), while the other only the corner was separated but with just a little pull it came apart easily, too. But the top ply of the rubber  is still tacky  like normal. So I glue the sponge to the bet then put glue on the sponge and the back pips of the rubber, (these are inverted rubbers) and glue them together, and they seem to work fine. I use WBG to glue them. So my conclussion is that  the rubbers and sponges will keep for a long time, but the glue that hold them together might not. And I do agree about keeping the rubbers away from light and in a place that is not too wet/dry/cool/hot.

Thanks a lot everyone. Ur info helped a lot. I know that tensors rubbers get used fairly quickly than older rubbers but on the JOOLA Express series it says "Air rubber for at least 48hrs before use." Is that necessary ? I've already applied an Express One & have been using it & I don't think anything was wrong but then again I've never used JOOLA before. I've already taken out both my JOOLA Express rubbers & they're spread on my table in the basement (where it's cooler). What effect will airing them have ? Or does it mean to air them after applying them onto the blade ?

My coach says the shelf life for a rubber is couple years, and he will not sell them after that, and some companies will use those rubbers to make pre-made bat or training stuff (??) He says the rubbers are still very good, just not as perfect as the new batch. Actually, I think they are just not good if you are pro, but it is fine for regular guys to use.
bbgobie, your rubbers are good, and are you planning to sell one of your sriver or Bryce :)